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The Fight for $15: California Passes a Law Increasing the Minimum Wage
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Since the start of this year, two states have passed $15 minimum wage laws: New York, followed by California. These events were celebrated by many who have been fighting for a living wage to support themselves and their families. "The first week of April 2016 was amazing for service workers. In Albany and Sacramento they stood with community activists, labor leaders, and their state legislators while their governors signed bills establishing a $15 living wage standard," wrote Mark Gomez, founder of the Leap Forward Project at the Haas Institute in a recent blog post.
A 1993 study on raising the minimum wage by David Card, an Economic Disparities research cluster member, and Alan Krueger showed that higher wages would not negatively impact employment rates. While the results this study has been debated for years, there are a number of economists that agree that increasing the wage would not have a negative effect on the economy as a whole. One of those economists is Economic Disparities cluster member Michael Reich, whose research was instrumental to passing a $15 minimum wage in Los Angeles. The increase might actually spur the economy, said Reich in an article by The Week. To paraphrase a recent New York Times article, the idea of a $15 minimum wage went from "laughable" to "viable." In that article, Reich noted that while there might be consequences such as lower sales volume and some automation, but it would be more than offset by increased purchasing power. Read the article.
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Why Trump Can't Break the Republican Party
 Paul Pierson, co-author of the newly released American Amnesia and Economics Disparities cluster member, recently wrote about the current election season and the future of the Republican party for the New York Times. It is often spoken in the media that the potential election of Donald Trump could break, or at least permanently change the Republican party as it is currently known. However, in the article, Pierson and co-author Jacob S. Hacker don't believe that this could happen. In the article, he points to a long history of other game-changing political events, and how the party has survived despite these occurrences. Pierson notes that "deeply-rooted dynamics" allow the party to not only continue to exist, but thrive, even when their candidate of choice is not elected. Read the article.
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 Disability Rights, Urban Planning, and Inclusive Cities: Insights from Dr. Victor Pineda
When asked about the connections between our built environment and issues of accessibility and disability justice, Senior Research Fellow Dr. Victor Pineda said, "We’re seeing a multitude of national initiatives and real efforts towards inclusion, especially in cities. We are still only at the beginning, so much has to be done, from changing the mentalities and expectations about our potential and achievements to the changes in infrastructure and policies. However, we can already see the positive effects in the quality of the lived experience of people with disabilities in inclusive cities where we, people with disabilities, can feel welcomed as equal participating citizens." Pineda is working to expand on the scholarship and research of the Haas Institute Disability Studies Cluster. Read the profile.
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 The Smartest Way to Finally Fix America’s Crumbling Infrastructure
"Most civil infrastructure in the US is built under the auspices of state and local governments, and, because such projects typically provide benefits over several decades, it makes sense to build them with borrowed money. Thus the municipal bond market is the logical place to finance these projects, especially in today’s era of ultralow interest rates," wrote Marc Joffe in a new opinion piece on The Fiscal Times. Joffe authored the Haas Institute research brief Doubly Bound: The Cost of Issuing Municipal Bonds, under the Just Public Finance program. Joffe notes that it's the perception of risk that scares investors away from municipal bonds. "Exaggerated risk perceptions translate into higher financing costs and less liquidity—stunting the municipal bond market." Read the article. Read Doubly Bound.
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 APR. 14, 7:30 – 9:00 PM
Sibley Auditorium, Bechtel Hall, UC Berkeley
Doors open at 6:45 PM
Race and Policing in the 21st Century: A Social Psychological Perspective
Wildavsky Forum Lecture: Dr. Jennifer L. Eberhardt,
Associate Professor of Psychology in the Department of Psychology at Stanford University
The stereotypical association of African Americans with criminality can influence actors at all stages of the criminal justice system. Professor Eberhardt will address how this association affects policing in particular, as well as point to some promising interventions that may mitigate impact and improve police-community relations.
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APR. 20, 12 Noon – 1:30 PM
IRLE Conference Room, UC Berkeley
The Economics of a $15 Minimum Wage
Michael Reich, Economics, UC Berkeley
RSVP to Margaret Olney, margaret_olney@berkeley.edu
More Information.
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 APR. 20–22, Washington DC
Color of Wealth Summit
Registration is now open!
The Haas Institute is proud to be a national partner for the Color of Wealth Summit, which seeks to engage Members of Congress, Congressional staff, the media, and the public in a dialogue about closing the racial wealth gap.
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APR. 21, 9:00 am – 1:00 pm
ACE Leadership Symposium: Advancing Multicultural Leadership
Culmination Luncheon Keynote Speaker: Professor john a. powell
TD Convention Center, Greenville, SC.
More information.
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 APR. 22–23
7th Annual Islamophobia Conference
The conference’s theme, Islamophobia: Has a tipping point been reached?, is both a question for researchers and a statement reflecting the pervasiveness of bigoted discourses that problematize the category, Muslim and Islam in civil society. More information.
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APR. 25, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Midwest Convening on Racial Equity
Chicago, IL.
The Center for Social Inclusion, the Government Alliance on Race and Equity (GARE), and Communities United are pleased to announce a Midwest Convening on Racial Equity in Chicago. Register now.
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APR. 26, 12:00 Noon – 5:00 pm
We Too Belong: Building Power at the Intersection of Immigration and Incarceration
David Brower Center, Tamalpais Room
2150 Allston Way, Berkeley, CA 94704
 "We Too Belong" is a half-day, highly interactive event to discuss and share best inclusive practices in immigration and incarceration law and policy. The event will serve as the public launch of the Haas Institute's new publication: We Too Belong, A Resource Guide of Inclusive Practices in Immigration & Incarceration Law and Policy. Event is free but tickets are required. This event is wheelchair accessible.
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